Greenwood Gardens - Short Hills, New Jersey

Pat S.

Part of me wants to keep this gem to myself, but as a nature lover, I need to share the beauty of these gardens. Even on a late October day, there was plenty to appreciate, including the friendly volunteers. Heidi, in particular, added a personal touch to a lovely day. I used the picture this app to help identify unlabeled vegetation and the scavenger hunt provided extra fun. I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful property!

Cain L.

Pretty cool place! Nothing mind blowing to see but the garden is well maintained and very clean. The staff was wonderful and extremely eager to explain the history behind the place.

Reasonably priced and worth the time to check out if you have nothing else going on for the weekend. Lots of pretty scenes here for photography and portraits.

Jasmine

Upon arrival, I didn't know what to expect but I was thoroughly surprised by how unique and whimsical the garden truly is. Along the estate's winding path, you are gifted with these breathtaking moments that inspire imagination. You truly need to soak in all of the details to truly appreciate all of the intention and craft that went into this garden.

Whether it's comical stone statues, colorful ceramic chunks in the walls, or the crowing of a rooster in the not so distant background, you feel like you're in a totally different world. I absolutely loved the fairytale-like structures of the Summerhouse and Teahouse. I felt like I was on an adventure, finding new secrets tucked away in every corner.

The estate itself is very well maintained, and the staff were very friendly. Even as we entered the parking lot, the staff member said how special this garden was and they were right. Although it isn't necessarily historical, it does a great job at transporting you to another world. The significance of the space is the space itself as it tries to weave together all these aesthetics and ideas.

Reminders: There is a bathroom on the premise near the Main House; there are no bathrooms along the path. There is a modest gift shop with local honey, and horticultural themed goods. As you walk from the parking lot to the Main House don't forget to look at the cottages and the ceramic numbered tiles on them - they're super cool!

jerzc N.

28 acres of green land beautiful flowers and trees. When we first walked in we are greeted by Ms. Paula. Ms. Paula, gave us a lot of information. Telling about the grounds the building we where standing by. The roof with the fish scale shingles the stone figures on the buildings.

The map tells you where you are as it is numbered. 1-11 locations seeing the beautiful scenery the water fountains were reconstructed. The cascade fountain will need funding to be redone. I can just imagine how beautiful that will be once it's done. Greenwood Gardens is truly a beautiful place to take all kind of pictures. Nature, wedding, graduation, bar/bat mitzvah or just family portraits. Stop by support this beautiful piece of land in Essex County. I lived in EC most of my life and who knew this beauty was here. Now we know we will be returning soon. You can also donate to help restore the Cascade Fountain.

Insiya P.

Love love love these gardens. I was there for their creative day and did Plein-Air painting in oil and lots of ink drawings. The gardens are beautiful, well maintained and the staff is very friendly. It's a historic site, so please be respectful of their rules and enjoy the beautiful space.

Eashani P.

it’s a pretty nice place overall and good staff too. just not overwhelmingly mind blowing as i had expected it to be. but it’s not bad.
i wouldn’t go again just because i feel like i wasn’t blown away by it. but nice to see the ducks on the pond.

also no access to the building some days so we couldn’t see the living spaces which was a bummer.

Olya R.

This place is a hidden gem in our busy world. The gardens are absolutely beautiful and serene. Taking a walk down the stone steps and towards the pond and around the ground buildings is very peaceful. Highly recommend visiting this place

Prageeth M.

Beautiful garden with many unique landscapes and statues. Went on a rainy day but for our luck the sun came out. Not crowded at all. Volunteer staff is local and they are very helpful. Posing photography is prohibited only if you are using it for commercial purposes. I had my Canon RP with a macro lens and it was a blast (that setup does not look professional enough for some reason lol) but I asked at the gate if I could use it as a courtesy to their policy. They have done amazing in maintaining it. Would support them for their commitment to keep the place clean and enjoyable for everyone! Will visit again! Again read their policy and be nice to everyone.